Innovate 2017: Manufacturing Innovation and Leadership Showcase

Enhancing Manufacturing Productivity through Training, Learning and Development

Vancouver Island and Coastal Region manufacturers have been engaged in a Labour Market Partnership (LMP) [1] project which has identified the need for greater collaboration within the industry and with training and education partners in order to address the industry’s current and future labour market issues and needs.

This one-day conference event will bring together leaders from a number of sectors interested in the future of manufacturing in the Vancouver Island and Coastal regions of British Columbia. Manufacturing company, education and training, and business organization leaders from the region will experience an event that will:

Showcase regional initiatives designed to improve company productivity through the application of innovative technologies, advanced manufacturing processes, and automation in manufacturing;

Establish a dialogue between leaders from the training and development sectors and those in the manufacturing sector; and

Enable them to learn about workforce and productivity challenges faced by manufacturers in the region and how to build capacity within organizations to address them.

Who Should Attend?

This conference will be of interest to:

Company executives and senior managers responsible for operations and training and development;

Post-secondary institution program leaders (including those responsible for trades training, business and leadership programs, and human resource programs);

K-12 career counsellors and work experience coordinators;

Business organization leaders (Chambers of Commerce, economic development organizations);

Government representatives responsible for economic development and jobs programs

Why Attend?

Attendance at this event provides participants with a unique opportunity to:

Network with leaders from across a number of sectors that have an impact on manufacturing jobs and the regional workforce;

Learn from the experience of manufacturing companies about their work and the lessons learned in a number of areas including: lean manufacturing; addressing workforce recruitment and retention issues; brainstorming ideas for promoting manufacturing as a career; and exploring the impacts of the application of technology to manufacturing in the region; and

Experience a variety of keynote and small group presentations with opportunities for dialogue and discussion on a range of topics and initiatives including maker spaces, smart manufacturing, and on how universities and polytechnic institutions are adapting and becoming more innovative.